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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Gamma Ray - Land Of The Free (Anniversary Ed.)-(GQCS-90377/8 + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.nov-04-2018 Encoder......L3.98.4 -V0 --lowpas ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2017 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 13 cd2: 7 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.gammaray.org ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Gamma Ray Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Land Of The Free (Anniversary Label : Ward ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ LetÆs not mess about with some big intro or ║ │
│║ history lesson or attempt at scene setting. Cut ║ │
│║ straight to the chase: this is simply the best ║ │
│║ straight-up power metal album ever made. Sure, ║ │
│║ other albums rule in their class (Iced Earth own ║ │
│║ the more aggressive, thrashy kind, Iron Savior ║ │
│║ at the more raw kind, etc), and there are other ║ │
│║ albums that are exceptional in the same type ║ │
│║ (PersuaderÆs debut, anyone?). But Land of the ║ │
│║ Free is simply the definitive power metal album. ║ │
│║ If ever anyone wants to know what the genre is ║ │
│║ all about, this album is it. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ What makes it such a success? Mainly the way ║ │
│║ that it blends simplicity with skill, melody ║ │
│║ with power. The album goes right to the very ║ │
│║ edge of awesome metal, the point some bands ║ │
│║ never reach and others shoot way past, ending up ║ │
│║ sounding like theyÆre trying too hard ║ │
│║ (DragonForceÆs later albums for example, though ║ │
│║ their first remains a classic). Gamma Ray get as ║ │
│║ fucking awesome as you can get, and leave it ║ │
│║ there. Common flaws of the genre: each tracks ║ │
│║ sounds the same, all of them sounding like ║ │
│║ theyÆre trying to outdo one another. None of ║ │
│║ that here, every song is pure power metal yes, ║ │
│║ but the catchy choruses and changes in pacing ║ │
│║ break the album up and keep it from stagnating, ║ │
│║ while never feeling like any of the songs are ║ │
│║ just fillers put there to pad things out. ItÆs ║ │
│║ just beautifully crafted. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Another potential pitfall: Going too over-the- ║ │
│║ top. For some bands, like Rhapsody, the over- ║ │
│║ the-top nature of power metal works just fine, ║ │
│║ but with others it comes across as trying too ║ │
│║ much to fit into a stereotype. Kai exemplifies ║ │
│║ this. His vocal performance honestly couldnÆt be ║ │
│║ better, heÆs total power and energy, but never ║ │
│║ feels like heÆs straining to pull it off, or ║ │
│║ desperately and constantly hitting high notes. ║ │
│║ And I say this as someone who didnÆt even much ║ │
│║ take to his time in Helloween: these are not the ║ │
│║ words of a Hansen fanboy. His voice fills you ║ │
│║ with power like few others can manage, and yet ║ │
│║ always sounds perfectly convicted, just adding ║ │
│║ the right edge of aggression when itÆs ║ │
│║ appropriate to the song, or going for the ║ │
│║ occasional Halford-esque falsetto. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Every track is pure gold, filled with great ║ │
│║ riffs of mid and fast pace, powerful solos that ║ │
│║ will make anyone air-guitar along, and as I say, ║ │
│║ KaiÆs top-notch vocals. When they want to go ║ │
│║ fast, as in "Man on a Mission" or "Salvation's ║ │
│║ Calling", they blast off into the fucking ║ │
│║ stratosphere in that speed metal way, and when ║ │
│║ they turn things down for a more reserved pace ║ │
│║ (see: rebellion in Dreamland) they maintain a ║ │
│║ steady rocking beat. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ As for a few specifics, "Man on a Mission", as ║ │
│║ other reviews will attest to, is an absolute ║ │
│║ power metal anthem, ripping along with a fast- ║ │
│║ paced strength that wouldnÆt sound out of place ║ │
│║ in a thrash album, and all backed up by an ║ │
│║ irresistible chorus. A great sing-along track ║ │
│║ all in all, and that break at the third minute ║ │
│║ is perfectly timed to drag you in and prepare ║ │
│║ you for the full-blown explosion of soloing that ║ │
│║ follows (warning: faces will melt). "Gods of ║ │
│║ Deliverance" is another with an amazingly ║ │
│║ infectious chorus, with the verses melding a ║ │
│║ rapid riff with a steady beat, and then taking ║ │
│║ off in the chorus. "All of the Damned" has that ║ │
│║ guitar tone that suggests Eastern influence, as ║ │
│║ well as plenty of great lead work. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ All told, the single solitary criticism to be ║ │
│║ levelled is a couple of those interlude tracks ║ │
│║ that plague so many power albums these days. The ║ │
│║ Saviour in particular adds nothing, and feels ║ │
│║ out of place, too sudden after the abrupt end of ║ │
│║ "All of the Damned". But in truth, these are ║ │
│║ small and basically can be ignored. The rest of ║ │
│║ the album is just so gorgeous I couldnÆt bring ║ │
│║ myself to take any marks off. Well, okay, so the ║ │
│║ chorus of "Time to Break Free" always reminds me ║ │
│║ of the closing section of Devin TownsendÆs Punky ║ │
│║ Bruster album, preventing me from really taking ║ │
│║ it seriously, but thatÆs my problem. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ladies and gentlemen, THIS is power metal. It ║ │
│║ never tries too hard, it just works, ║ │
│║ representing both the core and pinnacle of the ║ │
│║ genre in one glorious album. Flawless and ║ │
│║ utterly definitive. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Review written by Tymell for www.metal- ║ │
│║ archives.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Kai Hansen - Guitars, Vocals ║ │
│║ Thomas Nack - Drums ║ │
│║ Dirk SchlΣchter - Guitars, Keyboards ║ │
│║ Jan Rubach - Bass ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Rebellion In Dreamland [08:45] │
│ 02 - Man On A Mission [05:49] │
│ 03 - Fairytale [00:49] │
│ 04 - All Of The Damned [05:01] │
│ 05 - Rising Of The Damned [00:43] │
│ 06 - Gods Of Deliverance [05:01] │
│ 07 - Farewell [05:11] │
│ 08 - Salvation's Calling [04:36] │
│ 09 - Land Of The Free [04:38] │
│ 10 - The Saviour [00:39] │
│ 11 - Abyss Of The Void [06:02] │
│ 12 - Time To Break Free [04:40] │
│ 13 - Afterlife [04:46] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Heavy Metal Mania (2017 Remastered) [04:49] │
│ 02 - As Time Goes By (Pre-Production Version) ( [04:53] │
│ 03 - The Silence '95 (2017 Remastered) [06:29] │
│ 04 - Dream Healer (Instrumental) (Live 2017 at [08:23] │
│ 05 - Tribute To The Past (Instrumental) (Live 2 [04:57] │
│ 06 - Heaven Can Wait (Instrumental) (Live 2016 [04:48] │
│ 07 - Valley Of The Kings (Instrumental) (Live 2 [03:45] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [94:44 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
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